What You Don't Know Might Deter You: The Effect of Information Provision on Minority Retention in Undergraduate Economics
Abstract
This large-scale randomized controlled trial tests whether a low-touch information intervention in an undergraduate Principles of Microeconomics course can help overcome barriers to entry in undergraduate Economics for underrepresented minority (URM) students. I find that providing students with information about potential careers, income, research topics, and diversity in the field of Economics increases the likelihood of enrolling in a subsequent Economics course for URM students by around 9.9 percentage points and that the information induces primarily lower-performing students to enroll. These results suggest that information may have the potential to overcome barriers imposed by low course performance in introductory Economics courses.
Anjali Pai, Ph.D.
Applied Microeconomist and Quantitative Researcher
I am an applied microeconomist with experience working on projects in education, job training, and econometric methods. I most recently worked as a Social Science Economics Senior Analyst at Abt Global. My research interests are in education, labor, and issues of equity for disadvantaged or underrepresented groups.